Unusual group

Lafn

New Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2004
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Hi all

I'm fairly new to fish hobby.
Has anyone ever heard of this type of group?
I got an unusual group of african cichlids in a 55 gal tank. Ruled by a Jewel Male.
Any fish that tries to claim a territory is pushed, the new fish will either move or fight. Anything to fight with my Jewel will die, most blend in with the community.
Its odd from what I read about cichlids, I have a community of cichlids.
One big happy group that normally stay with the pack and all swarm anyone who walks by, begging or showing off. They pick at each other a lot, but its seems just
playful.

I have one Jewel I think is female and may be expecting, she is the only allowed to
sit in any one place long. The male is always picks at her, if its a she.

I had one bumble bee which afterwards I read are very territorial, that jewel ripped him in two. Also one other beautiful fish tried to stay to himself only to become lunch. I almost trhew my Jewel out. But I didn't see it happen.
I like varity and this tank is very colorful. A bumblebee would have gave that extra touch of color but, its not happening. Yellow lab will be my next choice.


--55 gal------
2- Jewels 1m + 1f I think
1- Electric blue Hap
1- Cobalt Blue Zebra
1- Red Zebra
1- Big lipped or Cheilochromis euchilus
2- Kenyi or Pseudotropheus lombardoi
2- mixed up 1 black w/strips & 1 faded yellow w/strips
3- not sure about, nicely colored tho
1 - Pictus cat - planning 1 more

My pictus got ich after stress related tranfer to my 55 gal tank.
And my Elect. blue got it afterwards.
48 hours of pure darkness & extra salt. from 2 tspoons to 3 per gal.
Temp @ 85 degreesI am currently meditcating them with copper cure also.

Hope this works. I read this online from several sources as a way to cure ich without meds.
We willa see.
 
do you add salt to this tank all the time?

your fish selection is a bit all over the place to say the least!!
just wait till one of your mbuna starts to become dominant and you'll see how vicious they can be.
i think that adding a yellow lab is asking for trouble, the jewel will see this as the lab invading his territory and try to evict it.

your jewels should really be in another tank as they require different water parameters to the mbuna. and then you will be ale to add the bumblebee without too many problems.
 
Salt 2 tspoon per gal
the Jewels territory is the entire tank. All my fish are Africans except the Pictus.
And the Jewel would go well with American Cichlids, but I can't just threw em out with the water. I have thought about it, but right now all my fish get along great.
And since the fish are breed domestic, they adapt easier to different waters ..
Yellow lab ph 7.6-8.0
The majority of Hemichromines are undemanding with regard to water chemistry.

Pictus cat is way out of his world but I have seen many online who sport them with their Africans.

I know a guy who raises hundreds of cichlids and never uses chemicals for tap water, PH etc. Never checks them even. Rarely ever has fish to die.
The fish are very colorful.
He has large tanks overstocked in his wifes Doctor office. All his tanks are overstocked.

Always exceptions to the rule.
Perfect PH may effect colors, but they do adapt.
We willa see how they do.
 
How big are your africans right now?? cause if they are still juvi's then they won't be showing a lot of agression, I would consider transfering the jewels if i were you because when the africans reach sexual maturity they will be really agressive and will kill for territory especially the males, If you have a bigger tank then I would try it, but there isn't enough space in a 55 for your africans and jewels to have territory.... Just keep a close eye on them.....
 
Lafn said:
Perfect PH may effect colors, but they do adapt.
We willa see how they do.
and they adapt quite easily with no ill effects....I have africans in with my green terror. Colors are brilliant and fish very healthy :)

have pics?
 
Lafn said:
Salt 2 tspoon per gal
the Jewels territory is the entire tank. All my fish are Africans except the Pictus.
And the Jewel would go well with American Cichlids, but I can't just threw em out with the water. I have thought about it, but right now all my fish get along great.
And since the fish are breed domestic, they adapt easier to different waters ..
Yellow lab ph 7.6-8.0
The majority of Hemichromines are undemanding with regard to water chemistry.

Pictus cat is way out of his world but I have seen many online who sport them with their Africans.

I know a guy who raises hundreds of cichlids and never uses chemicals for tap water, PH etc. Never checks them even. Rarely ever has fish to die.
The fish are very colorful.
He has large tanks overstocked in his wifes Doctor office. All his tanks are overstocked.

Always exceptions to the rule.
Perfect PH may effect colors, but they do adapt.
We willa see how they do.
what i meant was that you have single fish not that they come from all over the world!!

and why do you find it necessary to add salt to your tank?

i must be keeping strange yellow labs, my tanks sit at pH7.5. and my red zebras are breeding happily!!

this guy you know, does he keep his cichlids for a long time in these conditions, i'm talking years here?
 
my africans are from 2.5 to 4 inches right now.
They are very amusing to watch and I will keep and eye on them often.

The guy who raises cichlids has many tanks full and gives many away.
We are not real close to him, but his wife makes good money as a doctor and this is just his hobby, he wont sell em.
She moved her practice and we havn't got in touch with them yet.
But I could use a few more :)
 

Most reactions

Back
Top